St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-06
HE SENATE.

rapids, Ssl5 nO; from Des Moines rapids to
mouth of Illinois river, $4,000.
THE SENATE.
A BiIT Introduced to Grant HRS.
Logan Il Pem>IOn--Mr. Plat on
FOOLS.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-Among the
papers submitted to the senate by the pre-
siding officer were three reports from the
secretary of war in response to resolutions
of inquiry as to the change of engineers on
the improvements at the mouth of the Col
umbia river, as to the projected bridge
across the Arthur Kill. between New Jersey
and Staten Island, and as to the apportion-
ment of the money appropriated for the i'm
prOvement OF the Missouri river; also re-
port of the commissioner OF the general
land office relative to the Withholding from
sale of coal and iron lands in Alabama;
also various memorials of public bodies
in favor of the passage of the
interstate commerce bill. Mr.. Cullom pre-
scented memorial of the PittSburg cham
Der of commerce in favor of the passage of
the interstate commerce bill; also the pro-
ceedingS OF railroad convention on the
same subject. MI. Mitchell Pennsyl
vamia), from the committee on pensions, re-
ported bill
GRANTING A PENSION
Of 50. 900 year to the widow Of Gen. John
A. Logan and asked for its immediate con-
sideration, but under objection by Mr.. Coke
the bill went over until Tomorrow MI
Henderson offered a resolution calling on
the secretary of the interior for Informal
ton as to school lands confirmed to the
state of Nebraska. and in The meantime re-
queSting Suspension of public entries
on such land. Adopted. Mr..
Mcpherson offered a resolution calling on
the secretary of the treasury for a state
ment of the Indebtedness of the Pacific
Railroad companies to the government on
Jan. l, 81. with details of all payments
made on account of the sale; also as to the
sums due or to become due principal and
INTEREST," Under existing law, severaly and
collectively, and what difference will result
to the treasury if the pending senate bill
(the funding billy should become a law.
Mr.. Hoar moved to amend the resolution by
adding to it these words:
And statement of ali existing questions in
regard 10 the amount of such debts in dispute
between Snfd companies and the government.
Mr.. Mcpherson argued against the pro-
posed amendment as tending towards de-
lay, and suggested that if Mr.. H0ar would
promise not to bring up the bill at the pres
ent session he would withdraw his reSolu-
ton. Mr.. Hoar
EXPRESSED HIS GREAT SURPRISE
at the proposition. but offered to agree not
to call up the bill until the information
asked be obtained. Mir. Mcpherson thanked
the senator even for that concession. He
asserted that the effect of the funding bill
would be to give as a donation to these
Pacific railroads more money than the en-
tire value of all the lands claimed under
forfeiture bills for the last three years. Mr..
HOar regarded this as very extraordinary
proceeding. This bill had been reported in
its general features last congress. The
debt, amounting to about $50. 0O0,-
600, would be due to the govern
ment by these companies on an
average of eleven or twelve years
from this time. An equal amount would be
due by the companies on first mortgage
bonds, TO which the government debt was
subordinate. The judiciary committee was
satisfied that it would not be eXpedient for
the government at the end of that time to
drive these companies into bankruptcy and
TO have them sold in the market on the one
hand OF operated by the government itself
on the other hand. If there was any Sena-
tor who differed with the-eammittee on
either of these propositions, he Should be
surprised TO learn the fact. If the COM
panieS could be assured that the govern
ment would not assert its authority and
would allow them to make arrangements to
raise a new loan to pay Off the govern
ment loan. they would probably do
that and go on. But now they could not
do it.
THE FUNDING BILL
was recommended by the present admins
tration. Mr.. EdmundS suggested that all
the information asked Tor i'll the resolution
and the amendment was to be found in the
report of the railroad commissioner, stated
very clearly and very we'll. As to the
opinion of the secretary of the treasury OF
the effect OF the funding bill, that was a
matter of arithmetic calculation which any
one could make for himself. After further
discussion, in which mir. Mcpherson spoke
of the frauds in connection with the orgi-
nal stock, and Mr.. HOar showed how the
stock was now chiefly in the hands of small
owners, and said that the discussion at this
time could only be in the interest OF specu-
latOrs. the matter went over without action
until tomorrow. The senate then. at .
O'Clock, took up the conference report on
the interstate commerce bill. and was adj
dressed by Mr.. Plat, Of Connecticut
He thought the senate bill recognized a
principle which was sound. That principle
was tnat the QueStOn OF what was Il reason
able charge freight to or from q station
was not to be determined by the question OF
what was charged for freight to or from an
other station. In other words, the question
of reasonable freight charges varied with 10
cations and with the volume and character of
the business. He thought that the confer
ence report clause Gas to the shorter distance
being included within the longer distance)
was uncertain and ambiguous. He did not
think that anybody knew what it meant 1t
impaired that there were some shorter dis
tances for which more might be charged than
for longer distances. 1t would be for the
courts and the commission to find out what
those shorter distances were. As to the
pooling clause in the conference bill. he de-
clared that he
COULD NOT ASSENT TO IT.
He believed, in his inmost mind that if was
impotic and unjust and would embarrass. if
not defeat, the beneficial operations of the
bill. 1t was for those who proposed it to show
that such traffic contracts (msnamed pools)
were either condemned by the common law.
or were so far wrong in principle that (beiEg
opposed to public policy twas just and wise
legislation 10 make them criminal offenses
The character, purpose and results of pooling
contracts were entirely misunderstood II
was the evil significance which attached to
the unfortunate word "poor' that had Gre